Okay, on Joanne P's thread about her faith there was some debate about the Old Testament, New Testament and the Torah, and her topic got really diverted so I decided to create a topic about our respective Holy Books.

Arie and Dina, I would love for you two to continue your debate here, what I read was really interesting!

My Holy Book is the Bible, and it's split into two sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament focuses mainly on the forerunners of Jesus - Abraham, the father of our faith, Noah, Solomon, David, etc. The New Testament is about the coming of Jesus, his birth, his life, and his ministries.

Please, I'd love for everyone to contribute to this discussion. Just keep it nice please - you can respectfully disagree with something someone says but DO NOT disrespect someone's Holy Book.

The debate is very interesting Karen indeed, because one can see differently a Holy book depending on what they feel reading it what they gain from it how they interpretate it.

As i said to the previous thread for personal reasons that may not be very clear i do not accept the Old Testament as a Holy book. I will not in any way doubt that it is important and very Holy to some people, that the stories teach a lot of valuable things, that the symbols might be fascinating and that it prepares us for the coming of Jesus, however i don't feel as connected to it as the New Testament so i will only talk about NT.The New Testament as Karen very well said is mostly about Jesus, His life, His purpose on Earth and after His death, the work of His Apostles in His name. In the NT there are so many verses and epistles to many foreign places that the Apostles went to preach the word of God. There are examples of faith, love, equality, sacrifice. Then again some people may have a different opinion, which is free for discussion c: Inside the NT there is my most definitely favourite text in the entire world, the 1st epistle Paul send to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 13:1-13), or as it's most known the Hymn of Love. :

Spoiler

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Just a small note here, in the Orthodox Church we don't just read the verses and the psalms, we chant them. I can't actually put it into words but it feels so much better than just reading the verse, there's something idk, angelic (?) about it. I don't even know if i make sense i've stayed up all night I've posted the link before, but in case anyone wants to listen to how it sounds here it is:

Spoiler

Also I like NT because of it's last part which is John's Revelations. It's probably one of the most interesting things i've read. It's so hard to understand, so hard to see beyond the symbols. It's so intersting that even people who don't believe in God seem to be keen on it. I could really go and on about that Book, about the things i've seen coming true, the interpretations i made etc etc but that's just an entirely different subject so i won't focus on that.

"I am the Life, the Truth, and the Way. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - Jesus

Anything that I find Truth in, I consider a holy book. How is truth defined? What works vs what doesn't work. If it works for what I choose, then it's Truth. It truly is as simple as that. On a more personal level, there are a few which have resonated with Me.

The first of these is the Bible, both the "Old" and "New" Testaments (I find calling one old and another new a bit ridiculous, seeing as time is a mere perception). This was the holy book I first took seriously as a guide to my life. Of particular note are the Gospels, Letters, and Revelation of John.

Other books, such as the Book of Mormon, Conversations with God (which I WHOLEHEARTEDLY RECOMMEND TO ALL), the Bhagavad Gita, and the Aquarian Age Gospel of Jesus the Christ have resonated very, very deeply with me.

I myself, being an atheist, have no holy book that I adhere to, but Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist who has also written books on his own beliefs concerning the existance of God, is one of my main inspirations, philosophically speaking. There are also some people on YouTube making imo quite valid points, although YouTube does seem to be the breeding ground for trolls and flamers, both religious and atheist.
As for personal truths, I don't think you've defined truth correctly: in the way that if something works, it's true. More than one thing may work in different situations, but that does not mean it's both true. The existance of God, for example, may work for somebody, thus be true for him/her but may not work for somebody else, thus being not true. And as something cannot be true and not true at the same time, we are stuck here.
There may be something I agree with there though, in the sense that there is not one truth that is always applicable and always will. After all, we long thought that it was true that nothing can move faster than the speed of light, but neutrinos, some sort of particle (don't interrogate me here: I know nothing about quantum physics) may have moved faster than the speed of light. This would have to make the 'can't move faster than light'-truth give up it's title.
So basically, my opinion is that truth is a temporary badge for theories and claims we know to be correct, according to our current standards and research methods. Always room for improvement.
Anyway, on holy scripture, the general message in the New Testament is of course, very good, and even if you don't believe in God, I think it's good to base your behaviour on the message of respect, love and forgiveness.

I myself, being an atheist, have no holy book that I adhere to, but Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist who has also written books on his own beliefs concerning the existance of God, is one of my main inspirations, philosophically speaking. There are also some people on YouTube making imo quite valid points, although YouTube does seem to be the breeding ground for trolls and flamers, both religious and atheist.As for personal truths, I don't think you've defined truth correctly: in the way that if something works, it's true. More than one thing may work in different situations, but that does not mean it's both true. The existance of God, for example, may work for somebody, thus be true for him/her but may not work for somebody else, thus being not true. And as something cannot be true and not true at the same time, we are stuck here.There may be something I agree with there though, in the sense that there is not one truth that is always applicable and always will. After all, we long thought that it was true that nothing can move faster than the speed of light, but neutrinos, some sort of particle (don't interrogate me here: I know nothing about quantum physics) may have moved faster than the speed of light. This would have to make the 'can't move faster than light'-truth give up it's title. So basically, my opinion is that truth is a temporary badge for theories and claims we know to be correct, according to our current standards and research methods. Always room for improvement.Anyway, on holy scripture, the general message in the New Testament is of course, very good, and even if you don't believe in God, I think it's good to base your behaviour on the message of respect, love and forgiveness.

These are all very good points! You're right that there are different ways that work for various situations, and some options are better than others.

For me, if there are two options that are equally difficult to choose, I'd probably think, how can I best go about doing this in a manner befitting God? For me, that's a deciding factor because of my faith. For someone who doesn't adhere to a faith system, it may be, what's the higher road to take here?

And you are very right that even if you don't believe in the Bible that it's important to be respectful, loving, and kind. the world could benefit from more people like that!

These are all very good points! You're right that there are different ways that work for various situations, and some options are better than others.

For me, if there are two options that are equally difficult to choose, I'd probably think, how can I best go about doing this in a manner befitting God? For me, that's a deciding factor because of my faith. For someone who doesn't adhere to a faith system, it may be, what's the higher road to take here?

When dealing with answering questions, (for example: why did X happen?) I prefer to review and use the available evidence for either (or every, if there are more than two options) answer, the available knowledge on the topic and a critical mind as base to extend knowledge, using logical reasoning to come to conclusions. I think this method makes sense simply because it works. After all, most of our knowledge is based on this, except for mathematical laws.And yeah, it is obvious to me, and I think to many, many other atheists, that the best way is through respect and kindness for eachother. I'm sure many atheists would agree, because social-psychological experiments have indeed shown that treating others well works better than treating others badly, and that giving 'rewards' (treating someone is interchangable with rewarding here) equally or according to need of others works better than based on equity (do onto others as they do onto you). A society based on hate and loathing would not be as successful as one based on kindness and respect.

I do not think testament change with time so what you think please share your views

I think that the testaments are written but the interpretation changes as society changes over time. Plus, everyone's different, and so many people can have different interpretations of the same text or idea.

I do not think testament change with time so what you think please share your views

I have read the Bhagavad Gita and I have studied it with faith and love; it is one of my most beloved holy books.

Lord Krishna reveals as the supreme divine secret the rejection of all dharmic yogas and instead embracing Love as most supreme! Krishna, being the very seat of Brahman, is Love incarnate.

That is the quintessential message of the Old and New Testaments! Like the Vedantic religion, the Jewish religious elite put a heavy and unbearably religious doctrine on the people. Jesus, like Krishna, taught people to give this up entirely and embrace Love!

This book is for those seeking that which is absent in their lives and for those looking for true happiness, inner peace and love.

There are no hidden secrets, rituals or rites – the key is and always has been in our hands.

Those who are genuinely seeking to comprehend the true meaning of life and acquire an understanding of the reason behind their individual circumstances will find plain and simple answers from the distilled essence of knowledge passed on to us by Saints and Holy Men spanning some 2,000 years.

"Mere Christianity" by C. S. Lewis is a great book. It actually started out as a series of radio broadcasts that were eventually compiled into a book. It's basically a nuts and bolts presentation of Christianity.

"Mere Christianity" by C. S. Lewis is a great book. It actually started out as a series of radio broadcasts that were eventually compiled into a book. It's basically a nuts and bolts presentation of Christianity.

I love this book a lot.
I'm not a Christian anymore but I'd still read it
He definitely gives a good perspective on god
Really interesting book

Washed by blood by Brian welsh is an awesome book about korns lead guitarist HEAD's journey to Christianity

^I've heard of that story. The kidnapper even forced Elizabeth Smart to watched pornographic films, and calls himself 'Emmanuel' a prophet. And the thing is, the kidnapper has a wife who helps him on his psychotic doings.

^I've heard of that story. The kidnapper even forced Elizabeth Smart to watched pornographic films, and calls himself 'Emmanuel' a prophet. And the thing is, the kidnapper has a wife who helps him on his psychotic doings.

Yup!
It's freaking insane

But he didn't force her to watch porn (they were homeless. He literally kidnapped her and they lived in the woods) he made her watch him and his wife do sexual things